BATTLE CREEK, Michigan — Lake Fenton almost shocked the Michigan wrestling world twice in one day.

The Blue Devils, who had never been past regionals in the team format, were able to take down one perennial state Division 3 power, but came up just short in their attempt to pull off a sweep and win the program’s first state championship.

Lake Fenton lost the final four matches in a 33-22 loss to defending-champion Richmond in the Division 3 championship match Saturday at Kellogg Arena.

“We shocked a lot of people,” said Lake Fenton senior Zach Corcoran, who won his 200th career match against Dundee. “We would’ve loved to have that state title, but I’m proud of what we did. We came together and did a good thing this year.”

Lake Fenton took a 22-15 lead with four weight classes remaining when Drew Morris won 6-4 over Richmond’s John Gaffney.

Perhaps it was a sign that Lake Fenton knew what was coming next when Morris appeared upset after the match for having scored only three team points.

As it turned out, the match was about to head straight into Richmond’s wheelhouse.

At the three heaviest weights, Richmond put out wrestlers with a combined record of 102-45 against Lake Fenton wrestlers with a combined record of 36-51.

Eric Boyd won 5-0 over Chase Hull at 189, Robert Clancy pinned Lucais Allen in 1:49 at 215 and Greg Sebastian clinched Richmond’s first back-to-back state titles by pinning Nathan Franks in 5:01 at 285.

“We knew we were getting to their strength and we were getting weaker,” Corcoran said. “You prepare yourself for the worst, but hope for the best.”

A key to the match was that Lake Fenton could manage only pin by Todd Melick at 119. Richmond had three pins.

“I expected a couple guys to maybe get pins,” Lake Fenton coach Vance Corcoran said. “We’re a team that gets a lot of pins. We just didn’t get our bonus points like we should have. That was huge.

“Drew was right there. That was a match where we could have got some bonus points. Maybe Zach Corcoran and Justin Melick expected some bonus points, but everybody wrestled great. It’s hard to come up with bonus points against Richmond. They’re a well-coached, well-trained team. They just don’t give them up.”

George Hamblin, who has coached Richmond (39-6) to five state championships, was impressed by Lake Fenton (28-6).

“Tougher than nails, aren’t they?” Hamblin said. “They scrapped with us the whole way. It was a great dual. He had his lineup right and ready for us. What they did with Dundee, my goodness.”

Lake Fenton beat Dundee in the final match between Poyner and Joey White at 125 pounds. The match was scoreless for two periods, White went up 2-0 with 1:39 left in the third period and Poyner tied it with 1:14 left in the third. Poyner won with 42 seconds left in overtime.

“The whole match, I was just a little nervous,” Poyner said. “I’m not really nervous for my own matches, but just because it was a team thing, there was a lot of pressure. It was exciting when I knew I got that two. I just went crazy.”

The victory put Lake Fenton in the finals of a bracketed sport for the first time since the 1998 volleyball team won the Class C title.